Been a while...

I have been terrible at journaling our lives lately and even as I sit here trying to do other really important and pressing things, I feel that I want to just catch myself up a little. I have taken on the HUGE task of doing the school pictures for the Elementary school that I work at. Oh wow, I feel like I have a Que of HUGE tasks, as soon as I complete one, another Que's up and is ready for me to take it on full force. I really hope this is the last of them for a while. Soo, since I have been at the school working on them and burning CD's since about 10am, I can take a break.

I don't think I ever posted about our new home! Our first house and we love it!! We love working on our house and just the feeling of home-ownership is something that we thought wouldn't be able to experience for a really long time. I'll have to post pics sometime. I really don't think I have even taken any. Need to do that.

We have had a couple of birthdays in the last few weeks. The girls turned 8 and Celise is now 12. It really is scary to see them growing up so fast, and the way the weeks just fly by us... OH MY, I really hope I'm not taking these days for granted. For Celise's birthday we set up the projector out on our newly sodded lawn and she invited friends over to watch a movie. It was soo much fun, and fun to see her interact with all of the girls, just fun! She is AMAZING, that girl, she always does what I ask her to do. Never a whine or complaint, she just does it. She also is so responsible with her Diabetes. She used to forget almost everyday to do the things she needed to do to take care of herself, but she is really maturing in that way too. I love my kids so much!!!

The school that my kids go to and I teach at is a preforming arts school and it is time next week for their winter programs. They have Musical Theater, Ballet, and Choir in the show. I cannot wait to see that. I'll post pics.

Ohhhh, I should get back to work.... Just wanted to take some time out.

Can't believe my babies are 8

Wow, it's been 8 years, and the girls just get cuter and funner and smarter. I sure love Alyssa and Alanah. Our lives would definitely be less exciting if they weren't around. For the girls birthday they wanted soccer stuff so bad, so we got them each a soccer ball, soccer shorts, cones, shin pads and I couldn't find a shirt for them anywhere. They loved it!! Then at around 9pm we all went bowling. The girls are little entertainers and love bowling on friday nights for the simple fact that they love dancing around the bowling alley and knowing that everyone is staring at them cause they are all so cute! So when we were at around the 5th frame, the lady that works at the bowling alley came over and gave the girls each an old bowling pin that said Happy Birthday Alyssa and Happy Birthday Alanah! They were in love with those bowling pins and I'm sure they made the lady feel like a million bucks because they were very grateful, it was adorable!

Here is just a random video that the kids taped while we were eating dinner.

A new little friend

This is Farley, she's an adorable little puppy. Yellow lab and springer spaniel mix. Her an Sandler play so cute together!

Sewing

I was busy last week with lots of picture stuff, so Celise was sewing a little bit and Baylee wanted to learn. Celise was kind enough to teach her the basics and how to use the machine. I just gave them some scraps of fabric and told them to start on little purses and pouches. Well a little while later Baylee comes into the office and says "Mom, you are gonna be SOOO PROUD OF ME!!" I was like OK show me what you've done. She brings in Alanah who is wearing this cute little green top. I have to say, I was SOOO PROUD of her!!!! She then made two more shirts, just white stretchy cotton for the twins, and a couple of dresses. I don't have pics of those yet. We went to the park that night and to the store. Dave about freaked out cause the girls were wearing B's designs:)! I think I might have a little fashion designer in the making, we'll have to keep practicing!








If you look close you can see Baylee's teeth that got busted out when she was riding her scooter.

Fun family time!!

All the girls (except Celise and Anneka of course, who knows where they were :) ) had so much fun listening and dancing to Grandpa Hight play the guitar. We had a good family reunion with lots of family time. I wish I had thought to get my camera out more during the time we spent up north. The boys didn't feel like dancing, so they played UNO instead.

6:10pm -- Across The Street -- Every Night -- Be There!

The girls are so funny. They've figured out that the neighbors sprinklers go on at 6:10 every night, and they have created this new tradition of waiting for that time and then running over there and going through them in their clothes! You'd think that now that they have the time figured out and know that they come on at a specific time they would get their swim suits on and go, but nooo. They think it's the funnest part of the day to run through completely dressed. All I can say is that I'm glad it's in the evening cause they go through, they come in and change and then it's time to stay in and they are fine with that. So it is working out quite nice for me.

Bake Sale --------------->

About 3 weeks before school got out the kids were begging every weekend to have a bake sale. I just wanted to wait till the summer, so it could be a fun summer activity to keep them busy for a day. Well the week school got out the kids reminded me that it was Bake Sale Time! Oh boy, we waited one more week and then they were able to have their sale. It was really fun, and they made over $30 in just two hours! Well they keep asking to do it again, and we really live in a great spot for it, but my was it a lot of work for mom. So maybe a couple more times this summer, but it hasn't happened again yet.

Addresses Please! :)

Ok, so the girls I need addresses from are, Stori, Janille, Megan, and Brandie! Send me an email at [email protected]! Thanks!

Celise

Playing the piano for the 5th grade talent show!

First Ever (well in a really long time) Family Photo!

So Davids sister Kristi had us get up a bit early on Mothers Day and she did the girls hair and got them all ready so she could get some family pictures of us. It was so nice of her, I always want to do it, but just the thought of getting it together enough to actually take some photos seems like to much to think about. So here they are, she did an awesome job! The last photo that we have of all of us together in a "pose" is from the 4th of July when the twins were about a year old. Julie do you remember taking them of us up on the red rocks before the fireworks?? I need to find that photo!

I also just put some photos of the kids up on my photography blog, and am way too lazy to post the same photos twice. So if you want to see recent pics of the kids go here and check them out!

Thanks again Krisit!

THANK YOU!!! SHARI!!!

Shari you are so amazing! With all you have had going on and being sick, you still managed to get these adorable cards and little goody baggies out to me (I got them a while ago, she sent them faster than I could even post about them) ! I LOVE THEM!!!!





So to all of you who responded to my "pay it forward" post, I need addresses! e-mail me at [email protected] with your address so I can send you something from me.

Baylee, Baylee

Well Baylee had a birthday in April and turned 9, so I thought I would reflect a little on her. She is such a sweetie, she is super thoughtful and loving (when she wants to be:) ) but her feelings are so tender. Just a week or two ago she was learning in school how to write a formal letter and the requirement was to write a letter to someone who is very special to you. So when she showed me the letter I about melted, it was just adorable. I would take a picture of it, but I'm just gonna copy it:

Dear Grandpa Watkins

I sure miss you. I wish Grandma was still with you!

I love you so much! Tell Grandma and Grandpa Hight I said hi. Schools almost out and for summer vacation I would like to visit you. I hope your having a great year.

Your Grandchild,
Baylee


I just thought that was so cute that she would think of Grandpa as a person who is very special to her! Here is a picture of Baylee with Grandpa and Grandma Watkins

K, well she is a silly girl too. I found this under her pillow for the tooth fairy. I guess the tooth fairy secret isn't such a secret any more.



She is just funny! She wrote me an email the other day that said that she loves me more than she loves mac-n-cheese (she LOVES that stuff) and then on mothers day her card said, "I thought about it, and I think I like mac-n-cheese better.... Joking!!"

Really at our house if you can't find something or you just want to know where something might be, Ask Baylee.. She knows, Always! All of us rely on her daily to find the things that we've misplaced, and she just somehow knows where it is. Her memory is crazy, thats how she keeps score so well:), but she really is a fantastic girl!!

Baylee, I love you! MOM xoxo

Wow... I almost forgot

I won a special something ( which I know will be amazing, no pressure Shari :) !) and forgot to post this to my blog, so here it is.....

Pay it Forward~~~
This sounds like a really fun thing!! Good luck!
{The Rules}
1. Be one of the first THREE bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me - something crafty or yummy, who knows?!
2. Winners must post this challenge on their blog, meaning that they will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift -anything!- for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on their post about this giveaway!
3. The gift that you send to your friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!
4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate pictures and comments!

If you are not one of the Top Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Go ahead and start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same! SO, REMEMBER...Pay it forward

Spring is in the air...

I love spring and warm weather and being outside. It is spring break and I am really loving it. This is one of those times, and they are coming more frequently, that I totally love having the kids home from school. In the past I have really wanted them to go back to school, I needed that break from them. But I think I am realizing that this time with them is not going to last a whole lot longer, so I am cherishing it. I know that sounds really cheesy, but I get little glimpses of panic when I look at Celise and Austin and how old they are getting and how their attitudes are morphing into the dreaded pre-teen and teen "I hate my parents".

Monday we woke early and they all pitched in to clean, there were some tears of course, but by like 10 the house was acceptable and they went to play outside. The girls were out there all day! they had so much fun riding bikes, they even did a slip and slide that the neighbor girl brought over.

Yesterday was a blast, both for me and the kids. Julie and the girls met us at our house and we all walked over to the library and the park ( a pretty long walk, I would say like 10 blocks). The main stop, and most exciting for the kids was Judd's store. It's this adorable little shop that has lots of old fashioned and rare"er" candies. Oh it was so fun. And luckily Julie told me to get out my camera, they are my favorite pictures ever.

We are off to go swimming today. I have planned somehting fun everyday of spring break, since Dave has to work and we aren't going on any type of vacation. Should be fun!!